You line up before dawn at the 9:03 Gate of the Oklahoma City National Memorial, and before anyone moves, the whole field stands through 168 seconds of silence, one for each person killed in the 1995 bombing. That quiet sets the tone for the day. The loop course rolls through Bricktown, past the State Capitol and into the streets of Nichols Hills, with the famous Gorilla Hill waiting in the neighborhoods. Along the way you pass 168 banners, each carrying a victim's name, and you will likely find yourself reading them as you run. The course is mostly flat to gently rolling, though the final miles trend slightly uphill, so save something. You finish at Scissortail Park downtown with 6.5 hours of course support behind you. This is a race people run for the reason, not the clock.
Starts at the 9:03 Gate of the Oklahoma City National Memorial, loops through Bricktown, the State Capitol, Nichols Hills and The Village on a mostly flat to gently rolling route with the short, steep Gorilla Hill, trends slightly uphill over the last five miles and finishes at Scissortail Park. Course map ↗
Registration opens 2026-08-27. Closes 2027-04-22. Registration for 2027 opened Aug 27, 2026 alongside the RUN OKC rebrand. Online registration closes April 22, 2027; any remaining spots are sold at the Health & Fitness Expo, with no race-day registration. Marathon pricing runs from $145 (Aug 27-Sep 30, 2026) to $182-$185 (Apr 5-22, 2027 or at the expo). Strict no-refund, no-deferral, no-transfer policy. Register ↗
- The pre-race program includes 168 seconds of silence, one for each person killed in the April 19, 1995 bombing, before the 6:30 a.m. start. ↗
- 168 banners line the course, each bearing the name of one bombing victim; the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum is the sole beneficiary of race proceeds. ↗
- The inaugural race in 2001 drew around 5,000 participants. ↗
- On Aug 27, 2026 the race unveiled a new RUN OKC identity inspired by the memorial's Gates of Time, with six gate motifs for its six events. ↗
- Only 2.8% of 2026 marathon finishers ran Boston-qualifying times, so treat it as a meaningful race rather than a fast one. ↗
Checked 2026-10-13. Always confirm on the official site before booking travel.